Your Guide to Anything and Everything Boston

I'm had just been updating the original post, but now that it looks like a settlement is going to be reached, I think that warrants another post.

Click (here) for my original post on the TJX security breach and my recommendation to use FreeCreditReport.com (at least for the 30 day free trial) to monitor your credit report.

Originally TJX had proposed giving $30 TJX vouchers to the customers that had been affected by the hack. The judge in charge (mad props to him for standing up for the little guy) told them that it wasn't enough and now TJX has come back with a proposal for $30 vouchers along with $15 checks.

Click (here) to read yesterday's article about how the judge is now leaning towards approving this new proposal.

And just to reiterate, the gravity of the situation. I'm mentioning again the real world situation that happened recently:

I just read another article last week about stolen credit card numbers and it said that in cases like this, the numbers are never used right away. The thieves wait 6 months to a year until you're not checking anymore and THEN that's when they start using the CC numbers and bushwhack you. Case in point, my girlfriend just started having mysterious charges on one of her debit cards that she never uses anymore (I hate you TJX). Luckily she had a service turned on that monitors suspicious activity and they notified her right away in addition to suspending her account so no more charges could be made.

More than ever, I'd recommend to folks out there to look into some sort of service like FreeCreditReport.com to watch out for you. I'm pretty OCD and I only check my online credit card statements a few times a month. Having a service like this enables them to notify you IMMEDIATELY when something shady happens.

Click (here) if you'd like to sign up for FreeCreditReport.com and their 30 day free trial.